Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Halligan, for his presentation. May I put on record my thanks for all the briefing sessions that were organised for members in the Department? The session with Science Foundation Ireland was excellent.

Sinn Féin launches its pre-budget submission this morning and under the heading of enterprise, I have a section on Ireland's application to join CERN. Will the Minister of State confirm whether it is the Government's intention to apply for either associate or full membership of CERN? I am aware that in 2014, the then Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation conducted a study on proposed membership of CERN and it concluded that the case for joining CERN would be very strong, if satisfactory membership conditions could be achieved at around the same cost of associate membership. Obviously the full membership fee is approximately €10 million but associate membership is €1.5 million a year. Has provision been made in the budget to cover the cost of membership or associate membership of CERN? Is it the Government's intention to apply to join CERN?